HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 – 6 furlongs, Purse $27,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds

6 Schuylkill Punch – Claimed for $60k by Doug O’Neill, shows up today for $40k; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip.

2 Bryan Daniel – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; taking the blinkers off too.

Long Shot – 4 Aqua Fever

Race 2 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $54,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds

1 Around The Twig – Looked like a test drive in debut; is bred to relish 2 turns, should improve a lot this afternoon.

3 Lunch Time Diva – 3-for-3 seconds and it’s beginning to look like a trend; this clearly will be the limit of her distance.

Long Shot – 2 Withgreatpleasure

Race 3 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $45,000, Claiming $50,000, 4-year-olds and up

5 Hey Elvis – Game win as the chalk in last; proven turf runner should be right at home at this class level, with his friends.

1 Celtic New Year – Ground-saving trip for this dead-late closer; will improve in second start off a 2-month hiatus.

Long Shot – 4 Waltzing With Blue

Race 4 – 7 furlongs, Purse $63,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 4-year-olds and up

1 Mythical Power – Tries turf for the first time off a 4-month hiatus; Bob Baffert hoping the grass is to his liking.

3 Red Door Drive – Baffert has an uncoupled entry, he is winning at 43 percent this meet; this one figures to show speed.

Long Shot – 6 Red Eye Express

Race 5 – 1 mile, Purse $18,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds and up

1 Skellytown – Claimed by Kristin Mulhall off a good second facing some of these; slight improvement for a minor upset.

9 Self Insured – Must overcome a parking lot post and wide trip for the win; his best stride will come late in the lane.

Long Shot – 4 Super Harmony

Race 6 – 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

6 Once in Awhile – Suspect she faced tougher at Del Mar than these; Bruce Headley wanted dirt, is 0-for-9 so far this meet.

5 Jordanelle – Another taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; been away 11 months for John Shirreffs.

Long Shot – 3 Guilded Reward

Race 7 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $59,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 4-year-olds and up

4 Game On Dude – Sight unseen since the Triple Crown; this will be step one of what should be an interesting 4-YO season.

3 El Martillo – The other Bob Baffert charge; sprinter stretching out could be the rabbit to set up his stablemate.

Long Shot – 2 Sundarban

Race 8 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $22,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

1a Intentional – Looks like a powerful entry from two different trainers; both are dropping way down in class.

9 Banana Cream Pie – Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career-low level; wide trip allows Joel Rosario to spy the speed.

Long Shot – 6 Social Event

Best Bet – 6 Schuylkill Punch (race 1)

Santa Anita Park Sunday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/5/$31.20; Long Shots, 9/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Park Totals – 334/88/$563.50; Long Shots, 165/23/$256.00; Best Bets, 19/9/$34.50

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – 4 Gandolf (8/5) in race 3 at Tampa Bay Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Maybelle Slew won at Gulfstream Park paying $5.20 to win, $3.60 to place and $3.00 to show. Stats – 19/15/$127.70